The past two days in composition class we watched “Who killed the electric car?” It is a documentary on the past of the Electric car that at the time seemed to be the future of the automotive industry. Not only were they stylish, but they were cleaner, better for the environment, and because they ran on battery there was no wasted money on gas. However, many contributing factors led to stopping the production and sales of these cars by American car companies, leaving electric cars “dead”. This video helped to identify all the components, people, and companies that contributed to the killing of the electric car.
I really enjoyed watching this because I really learned a lot and got a lot out of it. For one, before this video, I never really heard of the electric car because it never played a significant role in the automotive industry, which in my opinion is unfortunate. This video really helped to me to open my eyes to what is/ was out there. It also made me realize that we really have to stop thinking about ourselves and start thinking more about the environment and the future of the earth.
In my opinion electric cars are good thing and it really is too bad GM motors decided to stop making the cars. I think they should have pursued it because the electric car was a step in the right direction. It was good for the environment because it was less of a pollutant. Because it ran on electricity instead of gas, the consumer benefited because they did not have to invest huge amounts of money in gas. Instead all you had to do was come home and plug it in to recharge. I think this is a lot more convenient and although the initial cost of the car may be more, the amount of money you save on gas definitely makes up for it. The movie said this in itself was a hold back because there was a limited range in the number of miles you could travel per charge. However, most people’s daily mileage falls with in this range so this should not be a problem to the majority of the American population. Also if there are better and stronger batteries then they should put those into electric cars. Everything about the electric car seemed to have had great potential for becoming the car of the future.
I believe the main reason why the idea of the electric car died was because of the American selfishness that exists in almost every aspect of our culture. People were too ignorant and concerned with their own desires to accept this idea and look out for the future of our environment. Oil companies and car companies were too focused on keeping their profit up that they failed to pursue this great electric car that would have had many benefits. After watching this video I realized that we need to be more conscious of how our wasteful American life style is causing harm to our environment. We as Americans need to stop being greedy and self centered and start thinking about our environment and world we live in. I would like to see a future in which every one drives electric cars because not only is it better for the environment, but it is convenient and the right thing to do.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The gift of giving music
This evening I performed at a nursing home for my Japanese community service project. Because there are many first and second-generation Japanese patients at the nursing home I performed a traditional Japanese song, “Haru no Umi” (on my flute) which translates into the spring sea. I also played a couple of simple duets like Today, somewhere over the rainbow, etc with my sister who also plays the flute. When I went there I did not thing much of the community service part of the project. I just thought it was going to be any other performance I have done in the past. However, I was wrong.
This time around I went into it like I did any other song I’ve performed but after about 15 seconds into the piece I glanced over the stand and looked out into the audience. It was filled with old people in wheel chairs. All of these people looked so frail, and weak but yet they had huge smiles plastered across their faces after hearing this familiar tune that was being played for them that very instant. It made me feel good and all of a sudden I was no longer playing for the sake of my school project. I was playing out of my heart to lift the spirits of these elderly people. It was such a good feeling to know that my music was the reason why these people were all of a sudden smiling. Some of them even started sway to the beat and nod their head as a sign of approval and recognition. From that point on every note I played was played with a different purpose, the purpose of giving the gift of music to touch their hearts. When I finished performing I received a huge applause from my audience. They all were smiling very brightly and all held their head a little higher that they did before I played this piece. I think for them it was refreshing to see a young face. I hope my music lifted their spirits and gave them a sense of happiness, joy, and hope. It is amazing that the simple gift of music can give someone so much.
For me the most rewarding part of this experience was seeing the smiles of satisfaction and happiness coming from the elderly. It made me feel good and made me feel like I had made a significant contribution to their day. There is something about community service and the act of giving that makes you as the giver feel good. The feeling of knowing that you made a difference in someone else’s life is one of the best feelings in the world. When I was in 8th and 9th grade I used to do a lot more volunteer work for other organizations but as I got older my schedule got busier and I never seemed to find the time. This project allowed me the opportunity to once again do community service. This experience was so moving that I have been inspired to make the time to commit to doing routine volunteer work this summer and next year.
This time around I went into it like I did any other song I’ve performed but after about 15 seconds into the piece I glanced over the stand and looked out into the audience. It was filled with old people in wheel chairs. All of these people looked so frail, and weak but yet they had huge smiles plastered across their faces after hearing this familiar tune that was being played for them that very instant. It made me feel good and all of a sudden I was no longer playing for the sake of my school project. I was playing out of my heart to lift the spirits of these elderly people. It was such a good feeling to know that my music was the reason why these people were all of a sudden smiling. Some of them even started sway to the beat and nod their head as a sign of approval and recognition. From that point on every note I played was played with a different purpose, the purpose of giving the gift of music to touch their hearts. When I finished performing I received a huge applause from my audience. They all were smiling very brightly and all held their head a little higher that they did before I played this piece. I think for them it was refreshing to see a young face. I hope my music lifted their spirits and gave them a sense of happiness, joy, and hope. It is amazing that the simple gift of music can give someone so much.
For me the most rewarding part of this experience was seeing the smiles of satisfaction and happiness coming from the elderly. It made me feel good and made me feel like I had made a significant contribution to their day. There is something about community service and the act of giving that makes you as the giver feel good. The feeling of knowing that you made a difference in someone else’s life is one of the best feelings in the world. When I was in 8th and 9th grade I used to do a lot more volunteer work for other organizations but as I got older my schedule got busier and I never seemed to find the time. This project allowed me the opportunity to once again do community service. This experience was so moving that I have been inspired to make the time to commit to doing routine volunteer work this summer and next year.
“The Boat”
My hang out spot on campus is called “the boat”. Why is it called “the boat”? It seems like such as random name for a hang out. Well story goes that it got the name because all the Asians hang out there, and Asians are also known as FOBs, or fresh off the boats. That's where the name “the boat” came from. I guess it also fits with the whole beach, bay theme. My hang out spot is located in front of the science center. It is actually, in my opinion, the prime hang out spot on campus because it is in the middle of everything. It is also really nice when it rains because our spot is covered so we can sit and watch as the rest of the academy scatters from their hangout spots to the nearest covered shelter. There are also two green tables which make it easy to sit eat and do homework on. It is a nice hang out place because you also have a full view of the rest of the academy campus. Getting this prime spot was not an easy task. On senior skip day we as sophomores had to literally fight for the spot. I think it is pretty funny how people at our school make such a big deal about where they hang out. There are names for every hang out on campus and everyone knows who hangs out where. It’s all a part of the accepted “high school culture” that we live everyday.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
A World Beyond My Own
Today I went for a running for about twenty minutes around my neighborhood. When I go running I usually take my ipod and listen to some up-beat music to keep me running at a consistent pace. Today I listened to various hip-hop songs such as “Walk it out” “Smack That” “Fergielicious” which make my run a little more fun and enjoyable. The loud music helps me to keep running. After taking my run around the neighborhood I decided to take a 5-minute walk after thinking about the composition essay we are going to have to start writing about nature. This time around I decided to take my turn my ipod off and take off my headphones for a change. The second time around I had a completely different experience.
When I went walking around my neighborhood for the second time without blasting my loud music I entered and was exposed to a world that I was completely oblivious to due to my loud blasting music. I realized that my ipod had distracted me from noticing the simple but complex world beyond me. There were many components of nature that I never had the opportunity to notice when I was trapped in my ignorance. The first thing I noticed was the refreshing wind that constantly blew across my body, relieving me of the fatigue and exhaustion I had from running the first time around. The wind was so powerful because it had the power to move everything around it, the leaves, grass, trees etc. but yet its touch was very gentle. The minute I felt the refreshing breeze I was relived of all my stress from life and school. I didn’t think about homework, school drama, tests, or anything. It was a good feeling, one that I had not felt in a very long time with the constant growing pressures from school.
I realized this whole other world beyond the one I am used to, the on that revolves around human beings. There are so many other creatures that live among us humans. I saw many birds flying in the sky and landing on telephone wires. While I was walking around I saw a chicken (which is really unusual). I’ve never saw a chicken in my neighborhood before. I saw the chicken walk across the street to this tree where it started to be attacked by birds. I’m guessing the birds had a nest in the tree and felt threatened by the chicken so they decided to try and chase it away. It worked. I also saw insects that I usually don’t notice. I started to wonder if they could talk to each other. They must have some way of communicating with each other.
I also took the time to notice a wide variety of flowers planted in peoples garden. I even smelt some of them. Some of them had beautiful scents while others had none. Each flower and plant was a different color. Together all the colors contribute to this rainbow of color that exists in nature. While on my walk I also looked up into the sky and watched the clouds pass by. I think my favorite part of nature is the sky. The beautiful pure blue color sky is enhanced by fluffy white cotton ball like clouds. Each cloud seems to take its own original shape. I even tried to make out some shapes in the sky as they slowly passed by in the sky. I usually don’t take the time to look and observe nature but today I did.
By the end of my walk I was happy I took the extra time to go a second time around without any distractions like my ipod. It allowed me to see an entire different world of nature. Although we are constantly living simultaneously in this world of nature we are often too distracted by our lives to take notice of the whole other world beyond our own busy lives. It was nice to experience this and the next time I decide to go running I think twice about taking my ipod.
When I went walking around my neighborhood for the second time without blasting my loud music I entered and was exposed to a world that I was completely oblivious to due to my loud blasting music. I realized that my ipod had distracted me from noticing the simple but complex world beyond me. There were many components of nature that I never had the opportunity to notice when I was trapped in my ignorance. The first thing I noticed was the refreshing wind that constantly blew across my body, relieving me of the fatigue and exhaustion I had from running the first time around. The wind was so powerful because it had the power to move everything around it, the leaves, grass, trees etc. but yet its touch was very gentle. The minute I felt the refreshing breeze I was relived of all my stress from life and school. I didn’t think about homework, school drama, tests, or anything. It was a good feeling, one that I had not felt in a very long time with the constant growing pressures from school.
I realized this whole other world beyond the one I am used to, the on that revolves around human beings. There are so many other creatures that live among us humans. I saw many birds flying in the sky and landing on telephone wires. While I was walking around I saw a chicken (which is really unusual). I’ve never saw a chicken in my neighborhood before. I saw the chicken walk across the street to this tree where it started to be attacked by birds. I’m guessing the birds had a nest in the tree and felt threatened by the chicken so they decided to try and chase it away. It worked. I also saw insects that I usually don’t notice. I started to wonder if they could talk to each other. They must have some way of communicating with each other.
I also took the time to notice a wide variety of flowers planted in peoples garden. I even smelt some of them. Some of them had beautiful scents while others had none. Each flower and plant was a different color. Together all the colors contribute to this rainbow of color that exists in nature. While on my walk I also looked up into the sky and watched the clouds pass by. I think my favorite part of nature is the sky. The beautiful pure blue color sky is enhanced by fluffy white cotton ball like clouds. Each cloud seems to take its own original shape. I even tried to make out some shapes in the sky as they slowly passed by in the sky. I usually don’t take the time to look and observe nature but today I did.
By the end of my walk I was happy I took the extra time to go a second time around without any distractions like my ipod. It allowed me to see an entire different world of nature. Although we are constantly living simultaneously in this world of nature we are often too distracted by our lives to take notice of the whole other world beyond our own busy lives. It was nice to experience this and the next time I decide to go running I think twice about taking my ipod.
Friday, April 20, 2007
My Observations from my Hang out- "the boat"
5 minutes at "the boat"
There are many people here all talking at once. There is talking, yelling, screaming and laughing all at once. If you focus on one conversation you can hear talks about schools, songs, outside life etc. Some people have head phones plugged in while some people are yelling and some people are trying to do their homework among all the noise. Although we all hang out at the same place there are many different clicks and it is obvious that not everyone talks to each other. There are bags and food spread out across the two tables
5 minutes watching "the boat"
People are jumping around and laughing. Two tables area filled with people and there are many people floating around in the middle. The people talking in the middle are the ones making all the noise while those sitting at the table are more calm. Many of hem are reading something or having private conversations among themselves. There are lockers behind the benches with everyone's stuff thrown on the top.
There are many people here all talking at once. There is talking, yelling, screaming and laughing all at once. If you focus on one conversation you can hear talks about schools, songs, outside life etc. Some people have head phones plugged in while some people are yelling and some people are trying to do their homework among all the noise. Although we all hang out at the same place there are many different clicks and it is obvious that not everyone talks to each other. There are bags and food spread out across the two tables
5 minutes watching "the boat"
People are jumping around and laughing. Two tables area filled with people and there are many people floating around in the middle. The people talking in the middle are the ones making all the noise while those sitting at the table are more calm. Many of hem are reading something or having private conversations among themselves. There are lockers behind the benches with everyone's stuff thrown on the top.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
College...???
Today in class we were reading an essay titled “getting in”. It was an essay that talked about getting in to Ivy League Colleges like Harvard. It talked about the changing admissions process and how it changed from a meritocracy to a more sketchy process (physical appearance, race, gender, personality, etc) In America we make Ivy League School to be more than they really are. For me this essay gave me an entire different perspective of Ivy Leagues and the process of getting into college as a whole. Talking about this in class really made me think about my opinion of Ivy Leagues.
I think as a whole, students are taught at such a young age that all the smart kids and successful people in life go to the Ivies like Stanford, Yale, Harvard, Princeton, etc. This idea was definitely engraved into my head. I had this idea that if you wanted to be successful you had to go to an Ivy league. However during my first semester of college guidance this stereotype was broken. I began to realize that while the Ivies were excellent school, there are other schools out there that don’t have the label “Ivy” stamped on to them but are still very good schools. When looking at college in a practical sense it the prices of Ivy college tuition seems incredibly high, and ridiculous. I know you get a good education, but is that price really worth it? Going into my Jr. year I had my heart set on going to an Ivy and my dream school was Stanford. While I still would like to go to Stanford, it just seems so impractical due to the high tuition. Also getting in to an Ivy gives you bragging rights and everything, but really that's only the beginning. You have to go to school there in an environment that is extremely competitive because everyone around you is brilliant. The more I thought about it the more I realized liked the idea of getting into an Ivy more than actually competing at one. While I still want to go to Stanford I realized that it's not that Brand named School I want but rather the quality of the education. For me college is going to be what you make of it regardless of which school you go to, whether it is an Ivy or state school.
The selection process for colleges overall seem to be very unclear and it doesn't go by a set of rules. This is because merit wise there are so many components. You are not accepted only on your grades you earn in high school but also by your SAT, SAT subject tests, and ACT scores. There are so many additional tests that we have to take such as the SATs in order to be eligible to go to college. Also colleges tend to put an emphasis on this and what if you are like me, I get good grades in school but when it comes to SATs and standardize testing, I suck. Not only do I feel that it is an unfair assessment of what you know it is expensive. Are the SATs a true assessment of how well you will do in college because if that is so then I am destined to fail college (even though I'm doing well in school now) Each test is about 50 dollars and many students choose to take it multiple times.
I never really put much thought to college until this year. There is so much to think about from which colleges are fit for you (is an Ivy college the place for me?), what to look for in a college, the acceptance and application process and all the extra tests we have to take. As a Junior my college search has only begun and I know it will only get harder and harder because there are just so many components and aspects to consider when applying and looking for the right college.
I think as a whole, students are taught at such a young age that all the smart kids and successful people in life go to the Ivies like Stanford, Yale, Harvard, Princeton, etc. This idea was definitely engraved into my head. I had this idea that if you wanted to be successful you had to go to an Ivy league. However during my first semester of college guidance this stereotype was broken. I began to realize that while the Ivies were excellent school, there are other schools out there that don’t have the label “Ivy” stamped on to them but are still very good schools. When looking at college in a practical sense it the prices of Ivy college tuition seems incredibly high, and ridiculous. I know you get a good education, but is that price really worth it? Going into my Jr. year I had my heart set on going to an Ivy and my dream school was Stanford. While I still would like to go to Stanford, it just seems so impractical due to the high tuition. Also getting in to an Ivy gives you bragging rights and everything, but really that's only the beginning. You have to go to school there in an environment that is extremely competitive because everyone around you is brilliant. The more I thought about it the more I realized liked the idea of getting into an Ivy more than actually competing at one. While I still want to go to Stanford I realized that it's not that Brand named School I want but rather the quality of the education. For me college is going to be what you make of it regardless of which school you go to, whether it is an Ivy or state school.
The selection process for colleges overall seem to be very unclear and it doesn't go by a set of rules. This is because merit wise there are so many components. You are not accepted only on your grades you earn in high school but also by your SAT, SAT subject tests, and ACT scores. There are so many additional tests that we have to take such as the SATs in order to be eligible to go to college. Also colleges tend to put an emphasis on this and what if you are like me, I get good grades in school but when it comes to SATs and standardize testing, I suck. Not only do I feel that it is an unfair assessment of what you know it is expensive. Are the SATs a true assessment of how well you will do in college because if that is so then I am destined to fail college (even though I'm doing well in school now) Each test is about 50 dollars and many students choose to take it multiple times.
I never really put much thought to college until this year. There is so much to think about from which colleges are fit for you (is an Ivy college the place for me?), what to look for in a college, the acceptance and application process and all the extra tests we have to take. As a Junior my college search has only begun and I know it will only get harder and harder because there are just so many components and aspects to consider when applying and looking for the right college.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Frienship, the core of life
The Importance of Friendship
To me friendship is the most important value and aspect of life. I mean where would we be without our friends? Who would we be without our friends? I think we often underestimate the impact our friendships have on our lives. My friends have impacted me I have known some of my friends for 12 years, and some for a little as a few months but regardless of how long I have known each of them, they are all very important to me. I have meet some of my friends in kindergarten, some in grade school, some in middle school, and some in high school. I have many friends and every one of them are important to me. I would honestly be dead without my friends. They have always stuck with me through thick and thin and support me in everyway possible. My friends have taught me important life long lessons in trust, honesty, responsibility etc. I believe I have the best friends is the world. To me my friends are one of the most important things in my life.
Speaking of being a good friend….what is the definition of a “good friend”?
I know personally I always strive to be the best friend I possibly can. To me a friend is someone who is understanding and there for you all the time. A true friend is honest and truthful. I know for me my closest friends will always be honest with me and if I ask them for the truth they will give it to me, even if it is not always easy to take. I really value this in a friendship because I believed a true friend will tell it as it is because in the long run the truth is always the best. A good friend is always therefore you, to make you laugh, to cheer you up, to cheer you on, to support you, and to give you a shoulder to cry on. My friends have always encouraged me in my schoolwork, tennis, and music and I always try to do the same for them as well. My truest friends are the ones who are wiling to listen to me and are therefore me anytime of day, even at 2:00 in the morning. A good friend is some one you can trust and someone you can tell your secrets to. A real friend will also accept you for who you are and love you for you. I know I can say that although every single one of my friends are different I love each and everyone of them for who they are and would not change anything about them. I think a lot of times it is hard to put a definition on what a true friend is because the definition/ list would go on forever and ever. For me my currents friends would be the perfect definition of a “good friends”.
Losing touch…
The other day I was looking at different colleges on the internet and it made me think of all the friends I will leave behind when I leave my school and venture off to the main land. It makes me sad to think that I will not be able to see my friends I see on a daily basis. Sure I will they will be only a phone call away but it just is not the same. In fact I have many friends who I don’t usually call, instead I talk to them at school when I see them everyday. So what will happen when I go off to college and don’t get the opportunity to see these friends everyday? I’m assuming we will eventually lose touch, which makes me really sad to even think about. I wish there was away around this, but I guess that is just how life works. I have been at my school since kindergarten and therefore I have never been in a situation where I have been dropped in the middle of a pool of people I have never seen before. When I go off to college I will have to experience that for the first time in my life. It is scary to me but it is also a little exciting. But I guess the important thing to do is to always be open to making new friends because without friends life would really suck. However, when we eventually go our separate ways I think that although we make new friends, it is just as important to keep the old ones to because friendships are so valuable and unique that they can never be replaced.
To all my friends out there~ Thank you for always being there for me! Even though we will eventually go our separate ways you will remain in my heart forever….I will never forget you!
To me friendship is the most important value and aspect of life. I mean where would we be without our friends? Who would we be without our friends? I think we often underestimate the impact our friendships have on our lives. My friends have impacted me I have known some of my friends for 12 years, and some for a little as a few months but regardless of how long I have known each of them, they are all very important to me. I have meet some of my friends in kindergarten, some in grade school, some in middle school, and some in high school. I have many friends and every one of them are important to me. I would honestly be dead without my friends. They have always stuck with me through thick and thin and support me in everyway possible. My friends have taught me important life long lessons in trust, honesty, responsibility etc. I believe I have the best friends is the world. To me my friends are one of the most important things in my life.
Speaking of being a good friend….what is the definition of a “good friend”?
I know personally I always strive to be the best friend I possibly can. To me a friend is someone who is understanding and there for you all the time. A true friend is honest and truthful. I know for me my closest friends will always be honest with me and if I ask them for the truth they will give it to me, even if it is not always easy to take. I really value this in a friendship because I believed a true friend will tell it as it is because in the long run the truth is always the best. A good friend is always therefore you, to make you laugh, to cheer you up, to cheer you on, to support you, and to give you a shoulder to cry on. My friends have always encouraged me in my schoolwork, tennis, and music and I always try to do the same for them as well. My truest friends are the ones who are wiling to listen to me and are therefore me anytime of day, even at 2:00 in the morning. A good friend is some one you can trust and someone you can tell your secrets to. A real friend will also accept you for who you are and love you for you. I know I can say that although every single one of my friends are different I love each and everyone of them for who they are and would not change anything about them. I think a lot of times it is hard to put a definition on what a true friend is because the definition/ list would go on forever and ever. For me my currents friends would be the perfect definition of a “good friends”.
Losing touch…
The other day I was looking at different colleges on the internet and it made me think of all the friends I will leave behind when I leave my school and venture off to the main land. It makes me sad to think that I will not be able to see my friends I see on a daily basis. Sure I will they will be only a phone call away but it just is not the same. In fact I have many friends who I don’t usually call, instead I talk to them at school when I see them everyday. So what will happen when I go off to college and don’t get the opportunity to see these friends everyday? I’m assuming we will eventually lose touch, which makes me really sad to even think about. I wish there was away around this, but I guess that is just how life works. I have been at my school since kindergarten and therefore I have never been in a situation where I have been dropped in the middle of a pool of people I have never seen before. When I go off to college I will have to experience that for the first time in my life. It is scary to me but it is also a little exciting. But I guess the important thing to do is to always be open to making new friends because without friends life would really suck. However, when we eventually go our separate ways I think that although we make new friends, it is just as important to keep the old ones to because friendships are so valuable and unique that they can never be replaced.
To all my friends out there~ Thank you for always being there for me! Even though we will eventually go our separate ways you will remain in my heart forever….I will never forget you!
Home sweet home
Have you heard that saying, “you never really appreciate something until you don’t have it”? Well it is true. There are many things we often take advantage of and don’t notice until it is no longer there. I found that out this spring break. I never really appreciated Hawaii and its beauty until I left it this spring break and stayed in Utah. I know this sounds really cliché but it’s true. Hawaii is such a beautiful place. Everything about it is perfect. It is my home.
I often take advantage of the beautiful atmosphere, weather, and presence Hawaii has to offer. Here at home I am so used to clear blue skies filled with white fluffy clouds and warm weather. However, when I went to Utah the skies were blue but not the same. Instead it had a grayish tint to it and did not look as clear and pure as it does in here at home. There were also hardly any clouds in the sky, which painted this boring and monotonous picture in the sky. Also here at home I often take granted for all the green mountains and grass. All the mountains are covered in thriving greenery. There was hardly any green in Utah. Because it had been winter all the mountains were brown. Brown trees, brown grass, and brown dirt. When we were traveling on the highway I could see nothing but brown mountains and brown fields. Every corner we turned led us to more brown. The only thing that was not brown was the white snowcaps on some of the mountains. I never really realized what a colorful place Hawaii was until I went somewhere where there was no color. Hawaii has such a variety of tropical flowers that I always over look and don't take the time to notice. It is pretty sad that I never appreciated any of this until I lived a week without it.
Not only is the environment and nature completely different but the people are different too. In Hawaii people are very friendly and polite. There are many times when I go running and someone I have never seen before will smile at me and say, “hi”. It is such a simple action but has the power to make my day and make me happy. In Hawaii there is an unspoken sense of community. When I went to the mainland the people were cordial and everything but it just wasn’t the same. People did not take the time to smile at a complete stranger like they do in Hawaii. Hawaii is also a lot more racially diverse. It is very different on the mainland, with the majority of the people being white (not that this bothered me…it was just different). There are hardly any Asians. (Asian minority) I swear the only Asians I saw in Utah were people we were traveling with.
There are many things about Hawaii that I never noticed and appreciated until I lived without it. Going to the mainland was like immersing myself in an entirely different culture and atmosphere. By the end of the week, as much fun as I had, I can honestly say I was somewhat homesick. I was defiantly ready to come home. As soon as I stepped off the plane coming back home this feeling of comfort returned. There really is no place like home.
I often take advantage of the beautiful atmosphere, weather, and presence Hawaii has to offer. Here at home I am so used to clear blue skies filled with white fluffy clouds and warm weather. However, when I went to Utah the skies were blue but not the same. Instead it had a grayish tint to it and did not look as clear and pure as it does in here at home. There were also hardly any clouds in the sky, which painted this boring and monotonous picture in the sky. Also here at home I often take granted for all the green mountains and grass. All the mountains are covered in thriving greenery. There was hardly any green in Utah. Because it had been winter all the mountains were brown. Brown trees, brown grass, and brown dirt. When we were traveling on the highway I could see nothing but brown mountains and brown fields. Every corner we turned led us to more brown. The only thing that was not brown was the white snowcaps on some of the mountains. I never really realized what a colorful place Hawaii was until I went somewhere where there was no color. Hawaii has such a variety of tropical flowers that I always over look and don't take the time to notice. It is pretty sad that I never appreciated any of this until I lived a week without it.
Not only is the environment and nature completely different but the people are different too. In Hawaii people are very friendly and polite. There are many times when I go running and someone I have never seen before will smile at me and say, “hi”. It is such a simple action but has the power to make my day and make me happy. In Hawaii there is an unspoken sense of community. When I went to the mainland the people were cordial and everything but it just wasn’t the same. People did not take the time to smile at a complete stranger like they do in Hawaii. Hawaii is also a lot more racially diverse. It is very different on the mainland, with the majority of the people being white (not that this bothered me…it was just different). There are hardly any Asians. (Asian minority) I swear the only Asians I saw in Utah were people we were traveling with.
There are many things about Hawaii that I never noticed and appreciated until I lived without it. Going to the mainland was like immersing myself in an entirely different culture and atmosphere. By the end of the week, as much fun as I had, I can honestly say I was somewhat homesick. I was defiantly ready to come home. As soon as I stepped off the plane coming back home this feeling of comfort returned. There really is no place like home.
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Commercialized Easter
Today is Easter and although its origins lie in Christianity and the rebirth of Jesus it has been commercialized. It has taken a lighter more commercialized twist. When little kids think of Easter they don’t think of Jesus, angels and crosses. Instead, they think of bunnies, eggs, candy, and chocolate. Easter, like many other religious holidays have lost many of its deep religious ties and is more often celebrated as a day of fun. It is often seen as a day filled with dying Easter eggs and Easter egg hunts. Little kids wake up early in the morning to search the house to look and see if the Easter bunny left them some treats and presents. Also in preparation for Easter at the malls “the Easter bunny” sits on a big chair while little kids are forced to sit on its lap to take a picture. It’s almost like Christmas in the sense that the Easter Bunny is like Santa Clause. I mean sure they are fun and lighter symbols of these holidays, but I really don’t see the connection. How does the Easter bunny relate to the rebirth of Christ? I’m not saying that we should not have the Easter bunny or make Easter into a fun holiday, but by doing so the real meaning gets lost. It seems like on the outside it has just become a commercial holiday. It is an excuse for companies like many candy companies to make a huge profit.
I am a prime example of a kid experiencing the commercialized Easter holiday. Ever since I was young I would wake up early in the morning and run outside to look to see if the Easter bunny left me a treat. Sometimes I would get a stuffed bunny rabbit, and sometimes I would get an Easter basket filled with candy shaped in various Easter shapes (rabbits, eggs, flowers etc). Next, I would wake my sister up and we would dye our Easter eggs. We always competed to see who could dye the prettiest, most creative egg. I would always dye my first egg all pink. Then I would color multi colored eggs and I would even write my name on one. After I finished coloring my share of hard boiled eggs I picked out my least favorite eggs, cracked them and made egg salad sandwiches with it. After lunch, my sister and I would stay in the house while my mom and dad would hide plastic Easter eggs filled with prizes. We would then have our Easter egg hunt. These many activities are prime examples of the commercialized Easter. We all look forward to holidays like Easter but do we look forward to the candy and Easter egg hunts or do we look forward to celebrating the true Christian roots of Easter? Personally I really enjoy the commercialized activities of Easter but I can’t help but think of how these activities detract from the true reasons for Easter.
I am a prime example of a kid experiencing the commercialized Easter holiday. Ever since I was young I would wake up early in the morning and run outside to look to see if the Easter bunny left me a treat. Sometimes I would get a stuffed bunny rabbit, and sometimes I would get an Easter basket filled with candy shaped in various Easter shapes (rabbits, eggs, flowers etc). Next, I would wake my sister up and we would dye our Easter eggs. We always competed to see who could dye the prettiest, most creative egg. I would always dye my first egg all pink. Then I would color multi colored eggs and I would even write my name on one. After I finished coloring my share of hard boiled eggs I picked out my least favorite eggs, cracked them and made egg salad sandwiches with it. After lunch, my sister and I would stay in the house while my mom and dad would hide plastic Easter eggs filled with prizes. We would then have our Easter egg hunt. These many activities are prime examples of the commercialized Easter. We all look forward to holidays like Easter but do we look forward to the candy and Easter egg hunts or do we look forward to celebrating the true Christian roots of Easter? Personally I really enjoy the commercialized activities of Easter but I can’t help but think of how these activities detract from the true reasons for Easter.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)